Liuyang Fireworks Reports First Quarter Results
December 02 2013 - 10:00AM
Access Wire
Toronto, Ontario, December 2, 2013
- Liuyang Fireworks Limited (TSX-V:
FWK) ("Liuyang" or "the
Company") today announced
financial results for its first quarter ended September 30,
2013. All amounts are in Canadian dollars
unless otherwise indicated.
Highlights
for the first quarter:
-45-day
plant shutdown delayed production and shipping schedules,
negatively impacting financial results for the quarter;
-Revenue
decreased 23.3% to $3.1 million;
-EBITDA
was $(211) thousand compared to $250 thousand a year
earlier;
-Net loss
was $377 thousand compared to net income of $92 thousand a year
earlier.
"Our disappointing
financial results for the first quarter were severely impacted by a
government-imposed plant shutdown due to extreme temperatures in
the months of July and August," said Mr. Hu, Liuyang's president
and CEO. "We are aggressively working to catch up on our production
and shipping schedules that were pushed back as a result of the
45-day shutdown. Highlighting our need to make up for the lost
production time, the second quarter marks the beginning of our peak
sales season for the domestic market leading up to the Chinese New
Year. We remain focused on successfully servicing our domestic and
international client needs as we continue to execute our business
plan and growth strategy."
SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
------------------------------------------------------------------
|In thousands except per share and % |3 months ended Sept. 30|
|data | |
| |-----------------------|
| |2013 |2012 |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|Revenue |$3,121 |$4,068 |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|Gross profit |$1,010 |$1,388 |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|Gross margins |32.4% |34.1% |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|EBITDA |$(211) |$250 |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|EBITDA before stock-based compensation | $(211) | $268 |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|Net income |$(377) |$92 |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|Net income per share|Basic |$(0.007) |$0.002 |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
| |Diluted |$(0.007) |$0.002 |
------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance Sheet Highlights
--------------------------------------------------------
|In thousands except ratio data|3 months ended Sept. 30|
| |-----------------------|
| |2013 |2012 |
|------------------------------------------------------|
|Cash |$2,440 |$1,505 |
|------------------------------------------------------|
|Current ratio |1.91:1 |1.85:1 |
|------------------------------------------------------|
|Working capital |$7,470 |$7,691 |
|------------------------------------------------------|
|Total assets |$19,514 |$20,786 |
|------------------------------------------------------|
|Debt to equity ratio |0.72:1 |0.78:1 |
--------------------------------------------------------
Review of First Quarter
Results
Revenue for the
quarter was $3.12 million compared with $4.07 million for
same quarter a year ago. The decrease of $0.95
million, or 23.3%, was mostly attributable to the local government
imposing a 45-day plant shutdown as a result of rules relating to
higher temperature days during the quarter. As a result of the
shutdown, the Company delayed its European order production
schedule and thus delayed shipping into late August and September
of 2013. Due to the delayed international sales, the Company was
required to push domestic production and sales into the second
quarter of fiscal 2014.
Gross profit for the
quarter was $1.01 million compared with $1.39 million for
the first quarter of last year, representing
a decrease of $0.38 million or 27.2%. Gross margin as a percentage
of sales decreased to 32.4% from 34.1% in the prior year. The
decrease in gross margin was attributable to lower margin products
sold into the international market.
EBITDA for the
quarter was negative $0.21 million compared with
EBITDA of $0.25 million for the same period last
year, representing a decrease of $0.46 million or 184.4%. The
decrease in EBITDA is primarily due to the lower revenue and gross
profit recognized in the first quarter of 2014. EBITDA before
stock-based compensation expense ("Adjusted EBITDA") decreased by
$0.48 million or 178.7% compared to first quarter of the prior
year.
The Company incurred
a net loss for the quarter of $0.38 million compared with net income of $0.09 million a year earlier,
representing a decrease of $0.47 million or 509.8%.
While the Company's
balance sheet remains relatively strong, during the first quarter
the Company funded a higher level of supplier advances primarily
using bank loans. The Company has sufficient working capital to
continue its growth and expansion plans for the remainder of fiscal
2014.
Liuyang's
consolidated financial statements for the three months ended
September 30, 2013 and related management's discussion and analysis
(MD&A) will be filed with securities regulatory authorities
within applicable timelines and will be available via SEDAR
at www.sedar.com.
About Liuyang
Fireworks Limited
Liuyang Fireworks Limited is a
leading China-based manufacturer of fireworks distributed both
domestically and within more than 15 countries in North America,
South America and Europe. The Company has more than 17 years of
experience in the fireworks industry and is a supplier to the
world's top five fireworks wholesalers and retailers. Liuyang's
ISO9001-certified manufacturing facilities are located in the
Liuyang area of Hunan, China, where more than half of the world's
fireworks are produced.
For further information, contact:
-----------------------------
| Jacky Long Chief | |
|Financial Officer Liuyang| |
|Fireworks Limited Tel : | |
|647 350 8818 | |
|jackylong@farocean.com | |
-----------------------------
Forward-Looking
Statements
The forward-looking information
contained in this news release represents the expectations of the
Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is
subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue
importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon
this information as of any other date. While the Company may elect
to, it does not undertake to update this information at any
particular time except as required in accordance with applicable
securities legislation.
Neither TSX
Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term
is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.